Dream house turns into alleged discrimination lesson

Housing discrimination alleged in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood

August 10, 2010|By Mary Ellen Podmolik, Tribune reporter

It seemed like the perfect house for Chicago comedian and radio personality George Willborn and his family.

Built in 2006, the 8,000-square-foot home in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood had large closets for his wife, Peytyn, an outdoor basketball court for their 12-year-old son, a private bathroom for their 19-year-old daughter and a home theater room that was to become Willborn's "man cave." They made an offer on the $1.799 million home the day they saw it in early January.

"It was what we considered to be a dream house," said Willborn, co-host of the nationally syndicated radio program "The Michael Baisden Show."

What allegedly transpired after their offer is at the center of a federal housing discrimination complaint.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Tuesday that it had filed an administrative complaint against homeowners Daniel and Adrienne Sabbia, real estate agent Jeffrey Lowe and prominent Chicago real estate firm Prudential Rubloff Properties. The agency charged that they violated the Fair Housing Act when the Sabbias backed out of a verbal agreement to sell their home to the Willborns, who are African-American.

Despite agreeing on a $1.7 million purchase price for the home Jan. 4, the Sabbias never signed a purchase contract. According to the complaint, Lowe told the Willborns' agent, Dylcia Cornelious, on Jan. 11 that the Sabbias had changed their minds and were taking the home off the market, despite it being listed for sale for almost two years.

"By refusing to sign the sales contract," HUD said in its complaint, the Sabbias "committed unlawful discrimination" by refusing to sell the home to the Willborns "after the making of a bona fide offer because of their race, African-American."

According to the complaint, during the negotiation process, Lowe told Cornelious that his sellers had researched the Willborns. The complaint noted that Internet searches of George Willborn produced numerous images of him.

The Willborns filed a complaint with HUD on Jan. 29, and after receiving the complaint, HUD said the Sabbias on Feb. 1 offered to sell the home and all its furniture to the Willborns for $1.799 million. The Willborns declined.

"I was appalled," Willborn said. "The feeling that my entire family has, it's hard to describe. You're talking about 2010. I don't know if people realize it, but we elected an African-American president, so it's not asking too much to be able to live where we want to live."

Willborn said the couple found it difficult to explain to their children what had happened. So first, they bought a copy of the television miniseries "Roots" and watched it as a family. They then talked to their son and daughter about prejudice.

"I've had to talk to my kids about sex and drugs and all the things they need to arm them," he said. "We talk about race, of course, like every family, but I never had to do what I had to do in this case."

According to the complaint, Lowe said in a HUD interview while under oath that while he was representing the Sabbias, Daniel Sabbia told Lowe "he would prefer not to sell the home to an African-American, though he qualified the testimony, saying 'but if it was for the right price he did not care who bought the house.'"

Neither the Sabbias nor Lowe returned calls for comment. Dennis Dooley, vice president and managing broker at Prudential Rubloff, said it was against corporate policy to discuss litigation.

According to HUD, Daniel Sabbia's sister and brother-in-law live next door to the home and other family members live in Bridgeport. The neighborhood, which got its start as an enclave for the Irish, Germans and Lithuanians, and produced Chicago politicians, including the Daley family, has a history of ethnic friction. In recent years, though, it has become much more ethnically diverse.

HUD formalized its complaint after settlement discussions between the parties faltered.

The Sabbias, Lowe and Prudential have 20 days to decide whether they want the case heard by an administrative law judge or a federal district judge in Chicago.

If discrimination is found, the Sabbias, their agent and his firm could be forced to pay civil penalties to HUD and financial damages to the Willborns and Cornelious.

The case is important because it shows that housing discrimination "occurs at all income levels," said John Trasvina, a HUD assistant secretary.

"It was absolutely racist," Cornelious said. "Most buyers don't know what their rights are when it comes to things like this. You don't know what the law says as a buyer. I told them go ahead and file because it stinks to me."

Willborn said he doesn't blame Bridgeport and he isn't looking for financial compensation so much as to right a wrong. The family has since found a house they plan to buy in another Chicago neighborhood, but it isn't as nice.

Meanwhile, the home, in the 3300 block of South Normal Avenue, has since been relisted for sale with another real estate firm, with an asking price of $1.799 million.